Varvatos was groovy, as always, but his sexy calm of Provence reimagined for urban romantics was rocked by the real-life news of many dead in Nice after a truck ploughed through crowds of Bastille Day revelers.

"Oh that's awful," the seasoned designer said. "It just doesn't stop around the world right now, does it? It's incomprehensible."

For his 17th spring, Varvatos played with the hard and soft of men's fashion, using ultra-light linen fabric for breezy jackets and coats but providing his young romantic with killer rough-and-tumble ankle zip boots that can handle the grit of the big city.

Some of his jackets had collars fitted with wires for personalized shaping. And he put out a few great man bags in leather and linen.

Varvatos, 60, has been in the business since 1985, when he worked for Ralph Lauren. His own company is 16 years old. Joyfully, men care more about fashion today than they used to, he said.

"The world has gotten very small in terms of fashion. Everybody knows everything that's going on everywhere instantaneously. I love that we're all so connected in that regard."

He called this collection less rock 'n' roll, softer.

"It's a cool evolution for us," Varvatos said.

Among the old-world touches he embraced was a lush calfskin leather for an asymmetric jacket, its surface embossed with a crocodile skin motif. Another in supple, buff suede was the color of almonds. One wheat-color linen vest was flecked with metallic fibers for added sheen and hand dyed for a vintage feel.

The idea, he said, was to honor "heritage" and lend a nod to "old-world craftsmanship."

Actors Kellan Lutz and Colton Haynes were among his guests seated at small cocktail tables at The Django, a cave like, Paris-inspired jazz venue under The Roxy Hotel downtown.